Profile Simple Plan

Biography

The Montreal-based punk-pop group 1999 is comprised of high school pals Pierre Bouvier (vocals), Jeff Stinco (guitar), David Desrosiers (bass), Sebastien Lefebvre (guitar), and Chuck Comeau (drums). The five-piece initially came together when Comeau and Bouvier founded Reset at age 13. Reset was a modest success in Canada, touring the country with fellow punkers MxPx, Ten Foot Pole, and Face to Face. A debut album followed in 1997, however Comeau bowed out quietly to attended college. Two years later, Comeau let his studies take a back seat in order for he, Stinco, and Lefebvre to start making music. Bouvier was still in charge of Reset during this time, but grew tired of being both a frontman and a guitarist. He and Comeau reconnected at a Sugar Ray show in late 1999 and it wasn’t long until Bouvier was back with Comeau and the rest of his motley crew. Desrosiers, who replaced Bouvier in Reset, was asked to join Comeau and his pals, and 1999 was born. They landed show dates with the annual Vans Warped Tour in 2001 as well as spots with Toronto’s Snow Jam. By now, 1999 had a spunky, energetic punk sound. It was textured like Cheap Trick, but raw like Pennywise. In 2002, 1999 headed into the studio to make a record. Good Charlotte’s Joel Maddenand Mark Hoppus of blink-182 joined 1999 during those sessions and the end result was the fiery, fun No Pad, No Helmets…Just Balls, which was released in spring 2003 on Lava. The group took home a 2003 MuchMusic Video Award for People’s Choice “Favorite Canadian Group” in June. Their Bob Rock-produced second album Still Not Getting Any… followed the next year.

News

This past weekend, the boys were in Montreal to perform during the NHL All Star Game. Their soundcheck was scheduled for 8am, which is pretty early but at least one out of five was excited to be on the ice, as early as it was.

Simple Plan are stoked to announce that they will be performing at the The 2009 NHL All-Star Game on Sunday, Jan. 25 at Bell Centre in Montreal (6 p.m. ET, CBC, RDS, VERSUS, NHL Radio). Other artists scheduled to perform are Marie-Mai, Montreal Jubilation Gospel Choir, Mes Aïeux , and Cirque Éloize. The band will perform during the second intermission of the All-Star Game. For more info about the show visit NHL.com

Simple Plan is proud to announce that they will be taking part in the launch festivities of LEUCAN’s 30th anniversary.

Since its foundation in 1978, LEUCAN’s mission has been to enhance the well-being, healing and recovery of children with cancer and ensure support for their families, a cause that Simple Plan is proud to be associated with.

Tickets are available now at www.defiski.com. All profits will go to Leucan to help the organization fulfill its mission of support and accompaniment toward children with cancer and their families.

Sennheiser’s Stagemeister roadie contest will give one lucky winner the chance to help keep Simple Plan’s shows running smoothly. Apply online with a video or photo and try to convince Simple Plan and their team that you’re the best part-time roadie they could choose. After a two-day training session and being outfitted with a camera and laptop to blog about your experience, you get to hit the road with Simple Plan as a part of their tech crew. What are you waiting for? Get your application ready!

This weekend, the boys we’re back on their hometurf and joined forces with the Quebec Remparts hockey team for a charity event that raised over $100,000 for various charities, including their own “Simple Plan Foundation”. The guys got to meet one of the greatest goaltenders of all time, Patrick Roy, played an acoustic set and Chuck even managed to get 9 stitches to his fingers thanks to a playful brawl with Pierre that went a little wrong. Check out all of the weekend’s action in this little video below.

“I’m sorry, Simple Plan are not going to be able to call you tomorrow…They want to meet you backstage at their gig on Saturday night!”

In June 2007 I was told by my mum and dad that my dad had unoperable stomach cancer. At this time I had just overcome some bullies at school and I thought I was finally taking a step forward in my life, but as they say, I took one step forward and two steps back…

From then on my Dad stopped going to work and spent more and more time at home. But I didn’t start to notice the change until that Christmas. There was one last girl I had to sort out at school and my dad had been helping me and coaching me through it telling me how to present my self in a polite yet “get the hell out my life” sort of way!

Just before Christmas 2007 my dad told me that the chemo he was having wasn’t helping and was only making his body weaker. He decided to have no medical treatment as anything else the doctors could give him wouldn’t definitely work. This was massive and I couldn’t pretend I was fine any longer. I became quite depressed and didn’t really enjoy things or school. I thought the world was against me.My dad and I were very close but during this time, I started listening to really deep, dark music. And I don’t remember how, but some how I started listening to a band called Simple Plan. The first time I heard them was when their song came on in the film Cheaper By The Dozen and I loved it! But this time I was really listening to the music and I could relate every song and every word to my life in some way. From the moment I started listening to Simple Plan I loved them! The songs are mostly upbeat but at the same time have SOO much meaning to them.

In March 2008 I took about a week off school to spend time with my dad. At the beginning of this week, Simple Plan’s new album came out. I got the album and started listening to it straight away. I heard this one song, called “Save You”, and the lyrics were “Sometimes I just wish I could save you”. As soon as I had listened to the album and decided what I thought of it, I took it to my dad and let him listen. I said, “Dad these lyrics are exactly how I feel towards you” – at this time he was now bedridden and we had been told he could die any day.

I spent my days listening to Simple Plan, I jumped at every opportunity to talk about them or to tell people how great they are or to listen to them, I felt really close to the band, even though they had no idea I exsisted. Over the week I had off school I chatted to my dad about music and lyrics and we spent time talking about Simple Plan and what we both thought of their lyrics. Simple Plan’s lyrics saved me from this time, I’m not sure what I would have done without them.

In my computer lessons in school I decided to create a website about Simple Plan, I read up on them and got all their details on how they formed etc. I signed up to their offical website fan thing, I wasn’t really sure but they sent me emails every once in a while to tell me about up and coming events and competition. I never enter their competitions because Simple Plan are an American based band so I didn’t think I had any chance in winning.

One day I saw the subject of an email from Simple Plan saying “Win an Interview with Simple Plan”. I read it and it told me that the song “Save You” was written for Pierre’s brother because he had cancer. I did some research and found out Simple Plan were raising lots of money for cancer charities world wide. This just told me AGAIN how amazing they are. To enter the competition you had to email in and tell them how cancer had affected you. I didn’t see any chance in winning so I wrote in 200 words and didn’t think much of it.

Next thing I know Pete from MTV is on the phone telling me Simple Plan are going to call me tomorrow at 3. I said I was at school and so he said he would talk to the band and see what he could do. He called back and said it wasn’t possible for the band to call me tomorrow and I honestly thought I had ruined my chances. But he said they wanted to meet me at their gig on Saturday night! I was SOOOO excited. I even managed to get 4 tickets, for my mum and two sisters. This meant more than anything to me because I felt SUCH a connection with the band and I had told my dad many times I wanted to meet them and talk to them about their lyrics.

So when I went along on Saturday we walked up to their dressing room and I got to chat to them and take some pictures. I asked Pierre how he came up with the lyrics and he told me, the whole room was silent and Pierre, the man I had been most longing to talk to, was talking to me, ME! But David the bass guitarist wasn’t there but I didn’t mind, I had a signed paper plate and pictures with the band! Then we went down stairs and “bumped” into the support bands, as well as getting lost and nearly walking onto the stage!The show was FANTASTIC I loved EVERY minute of it. They all play with such power and meaning. I just felt SOOO MUCH more closer to them now that I had met them. Then they came to play Save You. David said he wanted to say some words so he spent quite a while explaining he had missed an autograph signing and he was sorry but he had just been told his sister was ill and he was getting him mum on a flight from canada and then they were going on to Paris. He was soo nice and said he would sign everybody’s autograph after the show. Pierre then said thats cool this song goes out to The Gleeson Family and his brother and David’s sister I imideiately burst into tears. I couldn’t believe all this was happening to me. After the show I queued up to get David to sign my paper plate next to the rest of the band. He gave me MASSIVE hug and an awesome chat. It was so amazing and he was really cheery and nice.

This just showed me dreams can come true and when life is tough just keep on walking because everyone get their chance to be happy! Now I know for sure my dad is always listening, because he passed away the week after I took off school, on Monday March 17th and this is a massive sign before christmas for me to know he’s here. I know he got me 4 back stage passes to meet and see Simple Plan on Saturday 29th November 2008 and that is something I will NEVER forget.

If anyone learns anything from this, it should be to never give up and keep on trying as long as there’s hope there’s life.

Simple Plan and the Quebec Remparts hockey team have teamed up for charity. On saturday December 20th, they will be holding an event at the Colisé Pepsi to raise money for their repective charities.

14,000 people are expected for the event which will unfold in three events:

• A skills competition with the 2008-2009 edition of the Quebec Remparts hockey team.
• A friendly hockey game with Remparts and NHL old timers including Patrick Roy and Stéphane Fiset as well as members of Simple Plan.
• Finally, SP will hit the stage for an acoustic performance in the middle of the rink.

Tickets for the event are only 20$, with proceeds going to charity, and are available through Billetech at (418) 691-7211.

We’re delighted to announce that Simple Plan are raising money for Teenage Cancer Trust through a special auction on eBay.

The auction includes a signed Gibson Epiphone Les Paul Special II electric guitar, framed artwork from the band’s self-titled third album, a signed set list from their Liverpool show, a signed tour poster, a signed set of albums and a Simple Plan swag pack with tour t-shirt, hoody and signed album.

The band will be donating all the money raised to Teenage Cancer Trust.
The auction will close at 8.30pm on Sunday 7 December.

Cancer awareness is an important cause to the band, as lead singer Pierre Bouvier’s brother Jay was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma cancer at the age of 28. Now in remission, Bouvier’s illness inspired the band to include cancer awareness as one of the initiatives of the band’s charity, the Simple Plan Foundation. Simple Plan’s new single ‘Save You‘
was written as a tribute to Jay and all proceeds from downloads will go to cancer charities worldwide.

Lead singer Pierre Bouvier said: “After what happened to someone so close to us, we feel that, as a band, we had to do something to help. We should get involved and use our voice to make a difference in the fight against cancer.

“Teenage Cancer Trust does a great job to improve the lives of teenagers and young adults with cancer by building specialist units where they can be treated with others their own age. We hope you can bid and make a difference to someone.”

Simon Davies, Chief Executive of Teenage Cancer Trust said: “Every day in the UK six teenagers are diagnosed with cancer. This is a rising figure and there are already more young people than children with the disease. At Teenage Cancer Trust we are dedicated to improving the lives of these young people by building specialist units within NHS hospitals which have been designed to give teenagers the very best chance of a positive outcome. We’re very grateful to Simple Plan for choosing to support Teenage Cancer Trust through their auction and helping us to support more teenagers and young people in their fight against cancer.”